The commerce ministry has laid out a detailed procedure for claiming benefits under the Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) scheme, which aims at boosting agricultural exports. In March, the government announced this scheme for providing financial assistance for transport and marketing of agriculture products to boost exports of such commodities to certain countries in Europe and North America. Under the TMA plan, the government will reimburse a certain portion of freight charges and provide assistance for marketing of agricultural produce.

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"Procedure and Aayat Niryat Form to avail TMA for specified agricultural products are notified," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has said in a notification. The scheme covers freight and marketing assistance for export by air as well as sea (both normal and refrigerated cargo).

As per the procedure, application for claiming assistance can be filed online by a registered and eligible exporter having a valid RCMC (Registration Cum Membership Certificate), issued by export promotion councils or commodity boards.

"The application shall be filled up online on DGFT's website along with the application fee. The application for claim on TMA will be made on quarterly basis. Online claims should be filed within a period of one year from the completion of quarter in which exports have been made," the notification said.

The documents which are required to file the application includes shipping or airways bill, commercial invoice, on board bill of landing, and proof of landing. The assistance will be paid only to the exporter shipping the cargo and in whose name payment is realised through normal banking channels, it added.

The DGFT also said the scheme is admissible for the export made through EDI (electronic data interchange) ports only. 

Presently, it will be available for exports effected from March 1 this year to March 2020. Hailing the scheme, trade experts said the scheme will help in increasing farm export from India. "There is a huge potential to increase agri exports from India. We need to explore all market to boost exports," agri-economics expert Chirala Shankar Rao said.

Last year, the government approved an agriculture export policy with an aim to double the shipments to USD 60 billion by 2022. It is aimed at boosting exports of agriculture commodities such as tea, coffee and rice and increase the country's share in global agri-trade.